Just think about it for a second. What IS Spain? A Country? an idea? A people?

What is red? Scientists tell us that light reflected at specific wavelengths is what we perceive as color. But how do we KNOW that what I perceive as “red” is exactly the same thing that you perceive as “red?” The answer may surprise you.

So given that it is actually impossible to know that what I see as red is what you see as red, why are we surprised that we perceive other things differently? I often say this: “The people who most loudly insist that we must accept the principles of evolution are the least willing to accept its consequences.”

And why is that, because we have no way of knowing what another person’s true perception of any issue actually is. We know what makes us feel good, what makes us angry, what we pretend offends us and what makes us cry. But we have absolutely no way of knowing beyond the shadow of a doubt what somebody else feels or thinks or perceives.

Given that, can we use that understanding of perceptions to move forward in our corporate lives in a functional way? Or are we doomed to scatter and tribalize like the people at the Tower of Babel?

Given that understanding of perceptions, how am I supposed to actually choose between what I see as essentially the same option in another country from which we get 6% of our imported oil?

Former Stockton Mayor Anthony Silva was arrested over the weekend on charges of “aggravated white collar crime,” meaning that he is accused of stealing more than $100,000. Presumably it was from the Kids Club of which he was the CEO.

But even as the charges reverberate and the denials come, I wonder if what Space X is doing will inspire some of the kids who are watching all of this and learning that the world isn’t everything it’s supposed to be?

Like this:

On December 8th, 1941, President Roosevelt asked Congress to declare War on the Empire of Japan. It is one of the most stirring speeches ever recorded. Congress quickly agreed and except for the standard Conscientious Objector vote, approved the resolution and declared War on Japan.

I go back to the speech itself, which, even if you are not a fan of FDR, is quite stirring, patriotic and appeals to everything that Americans love about their nation. including an appeal to Almighty G-d to see us through to final victory. If you haven’t heard it or watched it, you should do so right now:

In many ways it hearkened back to the speech that FDR had listened to by Woodrow Wilson, who ran in 1916 on a promise to keep America out of the war, then gave what many to consider to be the best speech to call for a Declaration of War ever given by a President. Wilson’s speech left many in tears and screaming with fervor as the nation found itself finally getting into the war which he had promised to keep us out of just months before.Read the rest of this entry →